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Meaning

Hello, here is 'The French', I have one question to summit you about the meaning of the sentence below:

Bill Clinton is understood to have landed in Pyongyang earlier today for a surprise visit to North Korea as relations between the United States and the regime continue to sour and mystery surrounds the health of its enigmatic leader, Kim Jong Il. (this sentence comes from 'The Times Online').

Re: Meaning

Originally Posted by The French

Hello, here is 'The French', I have one question to summit you about the meaning of the sentence below:

Bill Clinton is understood to have landed in Pyongyang earlier today for a surprise visit to North Korea as relations between the United States and the regime continue to sour and mystery surrounds the health of its enigmatic leader, Kim Jong Il. (this sentence comes from 'The Times Online').

What does it mean the section in bold red ?

Is it about his safety?

Thank for your cooperation and your explanation.

Have a nice day and sunny day, like we have in France today.

Don't hesitate to correct me.

It means that Bill Clinton landed in Pyongyang, but the writer is not stating this directly. It's simply an indirect roundabout way of stating something that is likely true, or that we "understand to be true". This sort of statement leaves room for some doubt as to the truthfulness of what the writer is stating. In others words the writer is saying "people understand that this is true, but I, personally, am not telling you that it is in fact true".